Google touchscreen phone goes 'eyes-free'

It's a subject we've touched on before on our blog. How can blind and visually impaired people access the latest touchscreen phones that don't have buttons you can feel? Engineers at Google have been showing off their novel solution to the problem.

In a series of new videos, TV Raman, Google's blind technologist demonstrates the technique on the Google G1 smartphone. It's all based on relative positioning, put your finger anywhere on the screen and that becomes the 5 at the centre of the dial pad, then you can simply push up for a 2 or right for a 6 for example. There's also voice feedback and a reassuring click sound to confirm your selection.

But enough explaining, I'm sure you want to see it in action...

The question is will blind and partially sighted people really want to give up their trusty touchpads for this new system? Emma from the Ouch team, who currently uses a Nokia phone with a screenreader, says she'd only switch if there was a touchscreen phone she really wanted, but with these devices increasing in popularity it's unlikely Google's work will be in vain.

Check out more videos of their work in progress on the Eyes Free Android YouTube channel.